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Sewing Lesson: Blouse with Pleat #106 12/2018

A wonderful project for the weekend. Sew this beautiful Blouse with Pleat step by step with this sewing lesson. This fancy blouse debuted in our Merry December pattern collection from the December 2018 issue of BurdaStyle magazine. Check out all the great diagrams to help you sew this blouse for the holidays.

Refer to the pattern’s store page here for specific fabric yardage and notion requirements. Also remember to add seam allowance (you can either add to the paper pattern before cutting or to the fabric around the pattern… see below), further info and amounts can be found in the instructions PDF after purchase.

STEP 1: CUTFABRICPIECES
Please note for sizes 38 to 46: Before cutting fabric pieces, mark the stitching line for the neck edge pleat on piece 1 the same distance from the line for your size as marked for size 36.
Fold fabric in half lengthwise, right side facing in. Pin paper pattern pieces to the fabric as shown in cutting layout, laying pieces 1, 2, 3, and 5 on the fabric fold. With tailor’s chalk, mark seam and hem allowances, as follows: 1.5 cm (5/8") on all seams and edges. Draw piece a directly on the fabric. Cut out all fabric pieces.

STEP 2: INTERFACING
Fold interfacing piece in half, adhesive side facing in. Pin pattern piece 5 to the interfacing, on the fold. Draw 1.5 cm (5/8") wide seam allowances along all edges. Cut out interfacing piece. Iron interfacing piece to wrong side of front facing piece. Fold the interfaced piece in half, right side facing in, and pin the paper pattern piece to the interfaced piece.

STEP 3: TRANSFERPATTERNMARKINGS TO THEFABRIC
On all fabric pieces, use dressmaker’s carbon paper and a tracing wheel to transfer the pattern outlines (seam and hem lines) and all other pattern markings to the wrong side of the fabric. Follow the instructions included with the carbon paper. Hand baste along the pleat lines on front, back, and sleeve pieces and also along the hem fold line on the sleeve, to make these lines visible on the right side of the fabric.

STEP 4: FRONTPLEAT
Please note: The “pleat fold” (Faltenbruch) line, center front line, and stitching line are only needed on the right half of the front. The “left placement” (links Anstoß) line is only needed on the left half of the front (= red lines).

STEP 7: STITCHYOKE TO BACK
Working from the outer side, lay pleats in back piece in direction of arrows and pin in place. Pin yoke to back piece, right sides facing, matching seam numbers (1). Stitch yoke to back. Trim seam allowances to 7 mm (¼") wide. Press allowances toward yoke.

STEP 8: DOUBLETHEYOKE, ATTACHFRONTFACING
On the second yoke piece, press the allowances on the attachment edges to the wrong side. Pin this yoke piece to the attached yoke piece, right sides facing. Finish edges of front facing piece. Pin front facing to front neck edge, right sides together – the shoulder edges lie on the yoke. Stitch facing and yoke to neck edge. Trim seam allowances and clip curves. At centre front, clip allowances close to stitching (arrow).

STEP 9: TURNYOKEANDFACING TO INSIDEANDSEW IN PLACE
Turn yoke and front facing to inside. Baste neck edge and press. Baste inner yoke edges to attachment seams and sew in place by hand. If desired, topstitch close to neck edge.

STEP 10: SIDESEAMSANDSLEEVESEAMS / BUTTONLOOPS
Lay front piece on back piece, right sides facing. Pin, then stitch side seams. Fold each sleeve lengthwise, right side facing in. Pin and stitch sleeve seam. At each seam, trim allowances to 7 mm (¼") wide, ﬁnish edges together, and press to one side. Fold bias strip for loops in half lengthwise, right side facing in. Stitch 0.5 cm (3/16") from fold edge. Run threads through eye of darning needle and knot securely. Push needle through fabric tube, eye end ﬁrst, to turn right side out.

STEP 11: SLEEVEHEMS / PLEATS
First press allowance on each lower sleeve edge to wrong side (1.5 cm/5/8" wide). Then press sleeve edge to wrong side, along hem fold line, baste in place, and edgestitch in place. Cut bias fabric tube into two equal pieces and lay each piece to a loop. Stitch each loop to marked front pleat line, beginning at stitching line, as illustrated. The loop size must match the button size. Sew each BUTTON in place, as marked by x.

STEP 12: SET IN SLEEVES / HEM
Pin each sleeve to armhole edge, right sides facing. The seam marks (5) on sleeve and front piece must match. Sleeve seam and side seam must match. The seam mark on sleeve cap must meet shoulder mark on yoke. Baste sleeve in place, easing the sleeve cap. Stitch sleeve in place. Trim seam allowances and ﬁnish edges of allowances together. In area of sleeve cap, press allowances toward sleeve.
Press hem allowance to inside and turn raw edge under. Edgestitch hem in place.

FINISHED!

Want more sewing lessons? Check out our last one here on our Sheath Dress.

Cutting & Sewing Faux Fur

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